Daily GK Update: 11th December 2021

National & International Organizations

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has granted Observer Status to International Solar Alliance (ISA) for positive global climate action through partnerships to benefit global energy growth and development.
Total of 108 countries participated in ISA Assembly, including 74 Member Countries and 34 Observer and Prospective Countries, 23 Partner Organizations and 33 Special Invitee Organizations.
ISA Founded: November 2015.
Headquarters of ISA: Gurugram.

Honours & Awards

Balkrishna Doshi has been selected for Royal Gold Medal 2022 by Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
Royal Gold Medal is world’s highest honour for architecture.
Balkrishna Doshi is an important figure of Indian architecture and his more noteworthy designs include IIM Bangalore, IIM Udaipur, NIFT Delhi, Amdavad ni Gufa, CEPT University, and Aranya Low Cost Housing development in Indore which was awarded the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

Science & Technology

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully test fired Pinaka Extended Range (Pinaka-ER), Area Denial Munitions (ADM) and indigenously developed fuzes
Pinaka-ER: It is the upgraded version of the earlier version of Pinaka which has been in service with Indian Army. It has been designed in the light of emerging requirements with advanced technologies
ARDE, Pune has developed different fuzes for Pinaka rocket for different types of applications

Honours & Awards

Indian Mathematician Neena Gupta has received 2021 DST-ICTP-IMU Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians from Developing Countries for her outstanding work in affine algebraic geometry and commutative algebra.
She is the third woman to receive Ramanujan Prize, which was first awarded in 2005 and is administered by Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics jointly with Dept Science and Technology and International Mathematical Union.

National Affairs

National Commission for Women (NCW) launches Online Resource Center on Cyber Safety Under ‘We Think Digital’ Programme to ensure women safety in cyberspace
The programme is run collaboratively by the Commission, Facebook and Cyber Peace Foundation
The centre can be accessed at www.digitalshakti.org and will act as a source of information and support for online presence.
It will also help in fighting Cyber violence against women, preventing tech abuse against them

Important Dates

International Mountain Day (IMD) is celebrated annually on 11th December to promote awareness for mountain communities around the globe.
December 11th was officially declared as IMD by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 57/245 in December 2002.
Theme 2021: Sustainable mountain tourism.
International Mountain Day is a national holiday in Japan as of 2016.

National & International Appointments

Indian-origin Gautam Raghavan has been elevated to Head of the White House personnel office.
He succeeded Catherine Russel, who has been appointed Executive Director of UNICEF.
Gautam Raghavan was Russel's Deputy at the White House Office of Presidential Personnel.
He is the editor of the book 'West Wingers: Stories from the Dream Chasers, Change Makers, and Hope Creators Inside the Obama White House'.

National Affairs

Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has launched ‘Certification Course on Home Energy Audit (HEA)’, during National Energy Conservation Week: 8th–14th December 2021.
HEA enables appropriate accounting, quantification, verification, monitoring, and analysis of energy use of various energy-consuming equipment and appliances in a house
Certification Course will facilitate creation of a pool of professionals to perform home energy audits based on the needs.

National Affairs

PM Modi has inaugurated Saryu Canal National Project which will provide assured water for irrigation to over 14 lakh hectares of land and benefit about 29 lakh farmers in UP
The project has been completed at a cost of over Rs 9,800 crore, out of which more than Rs 4,600 crore was provisioned in the last 4 years
Saryu canal project involves interlinking of five rivers Ghaghara, Saryu, Rapti, Banganga and Rohini to ensure optimum usage of water resources of the region

National Affairs

Lok Sabha discussed on Climate Change under House Rule 193, which does not involve a formal motion before the House.
House Rule 193:
- no voting can take place after discussion on matters under this rule.
- Member who gives notice may make short statement and have previously intimated to Speaker, may be permitted to take part in discussion
- Member who raises the discussion has no right of reply.
- At the end of the discussion, the Minister concerned gives a brief reply.

Schemes

North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (NEDFi) has announced Atmanirbhar Hastshilpkar Scheme for the grass root Artisans of the region under Ministry of Development of North East Region (DONER)
Total of 17 artisans have been provided with credit assistance of Rs.1 lakh per artisan
Credit facility is collateral free and carries subsidized interest rate of 6% p.a., which is repayable in 24 months
For regular repayment, incentive of 1% on interest rate